Executives worried about teams' inattention to information security

The level of concern among business leaders about information security remains high, but even with all this concern, the number of cybercrime incidents grew 21% in the last 12 months, according to executives from Brazil's 300 largest companies surveyed between June and August of this year. For 73% of these managers, the inattention of their own employees is the major concern. The information comes from the 3rd edition of the National Survey on Corporate Awareness in Information Security and was released exclusively to Época Negócios magazine by Flipside, a company that works to raise awareness about the importance of data protection. “Clicking on insecure links, sharing passwords and confidential information in chat applications, and using USB drives improperly, for example, are actions that can put the company at risk,” warns Anderson Ramos, co-founder of Flipside. Ramos advises always keeping devices and applications updated to prevent information leaks in case of loss or theft. “Programs always bring security-related updates, such as tracking and encryption.” This concern is not unfounded; the survey itself reveals that 58% of breaches result from human error. This further underscores the need for companies to make their employees aware of the risks they face. To prevent employees from irresponsibly sharing data, a platform that assesses people's vulnerability in information security—and indicates the degree (from 1 to 5) of risk that an employee opens up for the company to be attacked—will be launched during Mind The Sec, a technology event, which will take place in São Paulo. Source: Época Negócios

Frequently asked questions

Why do cyberattacks keep rising even though executive concern about information security is high?

According to the 3rd edition of the National Survey on Corporate Awareness in Information Security, released exclusively to Época Negócios by Flipside, cybercrime incidents grew 21% over the past 12 months among Brazil's 300 largest companies, even as executive concern remained high. For 73% of these managers, employee inattention is the top concern, and the survey confirms that 58% of breaches stem from human error.

What employee behaviors put a company most at risk of a cyberattack?

Anderson Ramos, co-founder of Flipside, warns that clicking on insecure links, sharing passwords and confidential information through chat apps, and misusing USB drives are actions that can put a company at risk. He also advises keeping devices and applications updated at all times, since updates typically include security features such as tracking and encryption that help prevent data leaks after loss or theft.

Is there a way to measure how much risk an individual employee poses to information security?

The survey points to a platform designed to assess people's vulnerability in information security, assigning each employee a risk score from 1 to 5 that shows how much exposure they create for the company. The tool was set to launch during Mind The Sec, a technology event held in São Paulo.